


Malie in the Rain

by miraimisu



Series: A Drop In A Dry, Dry Desert [Lonashipping Day | March 2020] [2]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions, Pocket Monsters: Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon | Pokemon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon Versions
Genre: (both Moon and I cry), (kind of), /SAD VIOLIN, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Crying, F/M, Gladion is a busy man with priorities, Heartbreak, With a capital A, unbalanced relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-03-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:41:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23294935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miraimisu/pseuds/miraimisu
Summary: DAY 2 | Haina Desert - Slowburn/ForgottenMoon had always thought she might know Gladion until the day she realizes that he has a tight list of priorities and that maybe, just maybe, she simply isn't one of them."God, damn it." A sob is stifled into her hand as a slow waterfall of realization dawns on her. "He's not coming."
Relationships: Gladio | Gladion/Moon
Series: A Drop In A Dry, Dry Desert [Lonashipping Day | March 2020] [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1674022
Comments: 15
Kudos: 20





	Malie in the Rain

Gladion has forgotten.

Moon lowers her phone slowly, sighing as she looks up at the sky. The rain is gray with angry rain, the kind that soaks the skin and beyond. There are a few splinters of silvery sunlight streaming through the clouds, but they flicker in and out of existence like Moon's hope for him to arrive.

She chances a look around her. She's wearing a light jacket around her white dress, hanging loose on her shoulders. Moon would have hold tight onto it if she knew her date would appear anytime soon. Gladion often frets about her catching colds when she doesn't wear clothes appropriate for this weather.

Moon rubs her forearms. "What a shitty day."

Moon takes another glimpse at her phone. It has a dim fog with spare droplets of rain on the screen. She wipes them away as though they're the tears her eyes can't conjure, but the ones her heart is undoubtedly shedding.

The screen reads 14th of February. Valentine's Day.

In Gladion's defense, it's not like Alola celebrates Valentine's Day the way she used to back in Kanto, but he knows this is a meaningful date for her nonetheless. She has never gone on a date in Kanto, primarily because nobody ever liked her that way in her homeland and she never had anyone to spend the day with.

A few weeks ago, Moon had told him about the traditions back in Kanto: walks holding hands, watching movies, romantic dates and love floating in the air. Things are usually much more properly organized in Kanto, where fairs and forests with fairy lights are set up for the celebration.

And all the has in Alola as of now is rain, loneliness, and a phone devoid of any texts, calls, or anything that told her Gladion would get here.

He is _never_ late. Gladion would have told her that he would be late. Gladion wouldn't forget about something like this, or so she wants to believe.

But Gladion doesn't enjoy festivities, Moon tells herself. Gladion isn't keen on romance. Gladion isn't that kind of guy.

And where does that leave Moon? Alone, sitting under the roof of the bus stop to the Hokulani Observatory. The rain hits on the plastic roof over the bench and the soil has turned muddy and wet. Many people have taken their bus, many of them couples, some of them alone.

Most of them recognized the Champion of Alola, said hi, and wondered why she, the mighty, dignified and cheerful Champion would be alone in a day like this.

She doesn't look dignified. She doesn't look happy. Gladion had forgotten about this. Something that he knows means a lot to her.

Moon takes a deep, slow breath in, tipping her head back until it hits the back of the bus stop's shelter. When she releases it, she bites her lip and takes another glance at her phone.

"If I call him, he'll get angry," she murmurs to herself, caressing the blocked screen. "He's probably in a meeting. He's probably busy."

Maybe he'll come by.

Maybe he's just stuck somewhere.

Even if Moon knows that, deep down, it's been two hours. His meetings never last that long. He would have told her if he were to be late. Gladion is too considerate to forget about something that means so much to her.

But maybe he isn't, a part of her tells him. Gladion isn't that considerate. If he were to be considerate, he would have sneaked out of Aether. He had put her before work before– it didn't happen very often, and neither did she want him to play truant, but he had done it before.

He has always cared more about work than her.

Tonight might just be life telling her _exactly_ that.

"God, damn it." A sob is stifled into her hand as a slow waterfall of realization dawns on her. "He's not coming."

So Moon dials another familiar number, which takes exactly two seconds to pick up her call.

" _Hello_?"

A relieved sigh escapes her. At least somebody is picking up her calls. "Hey, Lillie. Um, I don't know if you're busy right now or something, but I-"

" _I'm out with Hau right now_ ," Moon nearly swears to herself. Of _course_. " _We heard about your plans with big brother and Hau was jumping all around when I told him about it. We wanted to give it a shot, you know."_

She can hear the giddy smile in her voice. The noises of glasses and people talking. They must be in a nice restaurant now, and Hau must be giving her one of those looks that must make her feel full, happy and giddy.

Moon looks around herself, lonely in the rain of a shabby bus stop. "Oh, I see." She musters a smile, as though that will make her sound chipper. "I hope you two are having fun."

" _Oh, we are! I was hoping we would see you two around here!_ " Moon winces as a pang of emotion squeezes her heart. " _How are things going with big brother, also? I hope he's treating you well!_ "

Moon's free hand bunches the fabric of her dress. Her eyes swing around her, finding no trace of blond hair anywhere in sight. Everything is gray as far as the eyes can see. This isn't like the fairytale she had envisioned today to be. This isn't what she had seen herself going through during her first Valentine's Day with a boyfriend.

And if she tells Lillie about her feelings, she will undoubtedly tell Gladion off, and Moon doesn't want to detonate an argument between the two– they're the most stubborn mules in Alola and it never ends well.

Moon gulps down, blinking furiously to stave off tears. "It's– it's going fine!" That last word comes out as a squeak. "Um– we've gone take a walk. He's gone to grab us a drink."

" _You're outside in this weather? It's raining cats and dogs outside!_ " She's right. Moon closes her eyes, keeping her composure. " _I should have given him some tips! I knew he would screw up! He's got no romantic touch whatsoever!_ "

Even Lillie knew. What had begun as a subtle warning from Arceus that Gladion isn't _that_ kind of guy is becoming more of a punch of reality to her weakening heart. Moon rubs a hand over the surface, trying to find the strength to keep talking.

"Yeah, he's–" She pulls the phone away for a second to swallow again and sigh. "He's a little bit of a disaster."

" _What a dummy. Make sure he takes care of you! He won't hear the end of it when he gets home tonight!_ "

Moon chuckles. "We're having fun." That's a big, fat lie. Moon looks around her one last time. "This is being a great day."

After a few more pleasantries have been exchanged and after Moon tells Hau to take care of Lillie, she hangs up. Her eyes linger on the screen, hoping that Gladion had called during her call with Lillie and that she hadn't heard it.

The screen stares back at her, empty.

Moon goes home.

She squeezes water out of her hair in the hallway. She takes a deep breath to not cry on the stairs. She tells herself things are fine on the first floor, she tells herself things _should_ be fine on the second floor and she tells herself things _will_ be fine on the third floor.

Moon reaches her place and the first thing she wants to do is go back outside to wallow in her sadness, in her disappointment. She swiftly jams the key into the door, then halts. Her hand hovers over the doorknob, hesitant. She wonders how good it will be for her to stay home. What difference it'll make.

She could go to a bar and meet new people. She could find somebody to hang out with. Maybe Ilima is free and they can talk about his time in Kalos. Mallow could teach her how to cook herself cookies to eat tonight. Lana could teach her where Wishiwashis come from.

She could go anywhere she wanted if she grabbed an umbrella. Moon could busy herself with unwanted thoughts later.

Instead, Moon twists the key again, turns the knob and a flash of lightning from the window blinds her for a second.

When the view clears, she's met with the arresting view of Gladion sprawled on her sofa, Silvally sleeping at the foot of the very same sofa, both sound asleep. His hand is over his chest, hair a mess and skin pale under the dim lights of the sinking day. It will soon be nighttime.

She wonders for how long he's been here, and when the door clicks shut and she walks to the sofa, Gladion begins to stir, eyes fluttering open. Moon's body stops working altogether. Judging by his widening eyes and how he stiffens, Gladion must have had a similar reaction.

Many things are wrong with this picture. Her tone is slightly clipped, "How did you get in here?"

Gladion stretches his arms backward, then sits up. There's a small blanket wrapped over his lower half. "I used the spare key you gave me when you went to Unova. Somebody had to water your plants."

Moon offers a dry smirk, then turns to leave her purse on the table of the kitchen. She hears Gladion getting up from the sofa as the springs groan in relief, yet something keeps him away from her.

Maybe it's the fact that she's silent.

Maybe it's the fact that she's not responding to his joke.

Maybe it's the fact that she's not wondering _why_ he's there.

Moon stares blankly at the wooden table.

"You forgot, didn't you?"

His silence feels more like an admission that words could ever say. "I was–"

"Busy. You were busy." Moon could usually muster some bite to it. She sounds tired. "It's fine. I knew something would come up one way or another."

The way he falls silent again feels like a slap. A part of her wonders if he will apologize. Another wonders if he knows this is only a symptom of his workaholic tendencies. That this isn't the first time something like this has happened.

She wonders if keeping her back to him will show how truly hurt she is.

"I didn't _completely_ forget. I got off a meeting and then I saw, um, some flowers I had bought you–" Moon's eyes widen a little. He coughs. "And I realized I was around an hour late, so I came here hoping to find you. When I didn't see you, I thought I could maybe make you dinner or something, but…"

The tale tells itself on its own. He had fallen asleep, and Moon doesn't really mind him not going out of his way for her like that. It would have been a pleasant thing to see.

Many things could have gone better today.

None of them had.

She sighs. "I don't… really know what to tell you." Moon picks up her purse, decided to walk to her bedroom and let him leave, but her feet don't move. "I should have known you wouldn't remember. It's not like it's a meaningful thing for you." Her throat goes dry. "Part of me had just expected you would push Aether to a side for a day. For me. For _us_."

The _us_ comes out choked. He takes a step closer, but Moon holds herself a little higher and he stops his stride.

She breathes in, digging her nails into her forearms.

"I was stupid for making my hopes up. This– All of this was stupid. I'm stupid. Work is more important than something this silly." And she's not saying it to be spiteful. At this point in the game, Gladion has been proving that to her over and over. It's about time she starts to believe it. "It's fine. Let's just call it a day. You should get some rest and–"

Arms come around her like a blanket encasing her in warmth, his cheek on her hair, but Moon doesn't let herself melt into the embrace. She doesn't want to be lead on again. She doesn't know what to believe when the sky is parting open to let her see that Gladion won't ever see her as anything more important than Aether, than everything–

"It's _not_ silly if it means a lot to you." He sighs into her hair, apologetic in his tone. "If you respect my investment on the Aether Foundation, then I respect your investment on Valentine's Day."

"They're not the same thing–"

"No, they're not, but both things mean a lot to us, and that doesn't mean I haven't let you down today." Her heart stills when she catches the apology in his voice. Moon bites her lip, trying to steel herself, trying to not give in. "I didn't mean to forget. I would never let you down like this on purpose."

"I know." She admits, slanting a hand over the one on her stomach. His fingers curl around the fabric of her dress, either in emotion or impatience. "But it still hurts. I know you're not like that, but I know you're not _that_ kind of guy either, so–"

" _That_ kind of guy?"

"You're not romantic. You don't bring me flowers. You're not the most considerate. You're sometimes a jerk but you still got plenty of virtues that I love you for regardless." Her posture slackens against his. "It's just that I noticed all of this today and… I got my hopes up."

A beat of silence lapses between them, stretching thin and wide. It feels like a wall between them. Moon hates walls, especially the four walls making her feel alone even if he's with her.

"I'm… trying my best." His arms tighten around her. Moon nearly feels bad for speaking up, but she knows she shouldn't. There's an admission in his words. "I know I'm not the perfect boyfriend. I lost your flowers on my way here. I got here one hour later and– Arceus, you waited for me for that long, didn't you?"

Lips pursed, she nods. "Well, fuck." That's an accurate way to put it. "I… I didn't mean for this to happen. I don't want you to be sad. I still struggle with these things and I'm honestly always _terrified_ of screwing up like I did today. I'm not exactly made for this kind of thing."

"I know."

"I'm trying to get better at this," he moves his hands a little, trying to push her closer. It looks like he's feeling her slip away. "I'm sorry, Moon. I'm so sorry. I can't promise I won't fuck up in the future, but I will try my best not to. I know I take Aether too seriously, but you still mean a lot to me and I lo–"

Moon silences him by squeezing his hand. Gladion barely expresses his love for her in regular situations and she doesn't want him to do so when they're in a situation as delicate as this.

Sighing, she turns around in his embrace and wraps her arms around him, burying her head in his chest. "It's fine."

"You say that things are fine alarmingly often." He hugs her back twice as strong. "Even when you know they're not."

"I know you. If you say you'll work on it, I know you will." She shyly looks up from his jersey to his evergreen eyes, instantly softening when he sees the barest of smiles on her face. "I believe you. Even if you make it hard sometimes."

"I'll try my best," he promises, pressing his lips on her hair. "Do you think we still have some time for some lovey-dovey activities? I can still cook you dinner if you want."

Moon gives this thought a spin.

"And we could watch Ponyta and the Dedenne on TV."

"Sure."

"And we could bake cookies. What about that?"

"Anything you want."

Her eyelashes flutter, anticipating a tricky question. "Will you stay over and binge cheesy operas with me? Maybe with some candles?"

A gross blush splashes on his cheeks, but he smiles nonetheless. "Will that make you happy?"

" _Yes_."

"Then I guess I will spoil you rotten," he accepts, holding back a laugh when Moon jumps into his arms, happy as ever, and sprays him with rainwater dripping from her hair. "You also need to dry your hair or else you will catch pneumonia. You never learn, do you?"

But things are fine now.

So pneumonia can wait: tonight, the night is hers to spend with Gladion, and nothing could make her happier than her boyfriend carrying her to the bedroom to take care of her hair and share how their days had gone.

As far as Valentines Days go, this had for sure turned out to not be _that_ bad.

And Moon is happy with that.

**Author's Note:**

> **hell yeah**
> 
> it's pretty mild for what will come in another prompt AND next prompt is s p i c y so I'll patch you up really quickly I'm so sorry I had to break Moon's heart because she's too nice and Gladion is learning and /breaks down into tears
> 
> i enjoy hurting myself so now you endure it too. I can't hog the angst all for myself I'm such a caring author :')
> 
> SEEYATOMORROWBYE/shutsdoorsclose


End file.
